Position: Initiative Director, Waterbury Working Cities Challenge (WWCC)

 

Reports to: WCCC CORE Leadership Council

 

Salary Range: $65,000-85,000, dependent on experience and qualifications. This is a two-year, grant-funded position.

 

Designed in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston the Waterbury Working Cities Challenge initiative (RIBA Aspira) will restructure the deployment of childcare, after-school programs, job training, and other services and processes to focus on a targeted neighborhood approach to determine how education and job training supports can be better aligned to connect residents to employment. The WWCC is a cross-sector collaboration that includes 17 community partners as well as local employers and residents. The Initiative Director will be supported by, and report to, the WWCC CORE Leadership Council and work under the direct supervision of the Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, Inc., in order to execute this initiative.

 

The Initiative Director must be passionate about mobilizing a diverse community around a common agenda to address the economic and racial/ethnic inequities that have devalued this once vibrant Waterbury- South End- neighborhood by creating a strong, resident-driven, civic infrastructure, realigning and relocating job training services and revising child care decision-making policies to be more equitable, insuring adequate access for neighborhood residents, children and families.

 

To assure success, the Initiative Director will advance changes in systems and policies, deploy evidence-based strategies, practice goal-oriented systems, promote an environment of constant communication; and guide the community to mutually implement reinforcing activities.

 

Qualifications:

 

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in human services, social services, health, or a related field is required. A combination of relevant work experience and education considered. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with proficiency in Spanish.

 

Experience: Proven experience and ability to build and preserve trusting and genuine relationships with public, private, and community stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have experience managing a cross sector, multi stakeholder collaborative, preferably with a focus on workforce and community development.

• Commitment to, and experience working with disadvantaged neighborhoods and urban communities.

• Commitment to active resident engagement and to the value of residents’ life experiences, attitudes and perceptions.Experience with data analysis and report writing.

• Demonstrated experience and skills in budgeting, project planning and management.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, experience in database management, survey development/analysis and website design and administration.

 

Knowledge: Knowledge and demonstrated success in organizational development; Outcomes Based Accountability; strategic planning; consensus building; people management; change management; project management; process management; and financial management.

• Proven knowledge of community organizing and workforce development.

• Demonstrated success in bringing new, innovative approaches to complex social and economic challenges.

• Ability to address and overcome complex issues to achieve desired results. Ability to synthesize the community's expressed desires and guide the community in the desired direction.

 

Skills: Excellent written and oral communications skills, strong interpersonal skills, facility with diversity, and comfort with ambiguity and dynamic organizations required. Ability to form strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including employers, community residents, workers, community-based organizations, small businesses and policy makers.

• Ability to work effectively and cooperatively with staff and clients from diverse cultural, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds. Commitment to the values of equity, inclusion, multiculturalism and participatory governance.

• Ability to work independently and creatively.

• Proven problem-solving skills and teamwork abilities.

 

Duties: Oversee and manage the infrastructure and all essential operations for the continuation and improvement of the Working Cities Challenge Initiative. This will include, but is not limited to, Provide visionary leadership by promoting values of collaborative leadership, genuine community engagement, and systems-change strategies while fostering a culture that reflects them.

• Implement the Working Cities results framework, with the assistance of the governing board, to develop, establish and execute the strategies outlined.

• Coordinating and overseeing the various training programs, scheduling executive team and stakeholder meetings and coordinating events to promote the initiative.

• Working closely with the WWCC CORE Leadership Council and implementation partners to meet initiative established goals.

• Regularly monitor initiative performance indicators and suggest corrections in courses of action.

• Planning, and overseeing all marketing strategies, including the maintenance of the website, social media and other platforms, to announce and promote activities and events.

• Responsible for meeting initiative reporting requirements to funders.

• Working with initiative fiduciary to manage the budget of the initiative.

 

Responsibilities: Responsible for day-to-day management of the initiative; direct supervision of WCCC Staff and established sub-committees.

• Responsible for coordinating and planning all activities of the various committees.

• Responsible for creating and maintaining relations and serve as liaison with community stakeholders.

• Participate in fundraising activities and preparation of funding proposals.

• As required, participate in applied research, evaluation, and other activities related to the sustainability of the initiative.

• Attend all Working Cities Challenge events organized by funders and other professional development trainings.

• Collaborate with staff and partners to ensure appropriate support for participants, goal setting, and outcomes measurements are met.  

 

Other Requirements: Reliable transportation required. This is a full-time position requiring some evening and weekend meetings.

 

Leadership: Oversees the work of the Working Cities Challenge Initiative by recruiting partners; engaging community residents; facilitating the work of the partnership and its committees; and monitoring outcomes to assure success. Networks with community partners to maintain momentum, achieve objectives, and complete deliverables, overseeing a continuous improvement process.

 

Communication: Establishes and maintains an effective system of communications throughout the initiative and the community to build and maintain a positive image; represents the initiative in its relationships with partners and the community.

 

Planning & Organizing: Facilitates the Working Cities Challenge strategic planning activities, including identification of vision, mission, goals, community level outcomes and strategies; oversees the initiative to efficiently and effectively achieve established goals.

 

For further information please contact Victor Lopez Jr., at 203-754-6172 or via email at vlopez@thehispaniccoalition.org 

 

​

The Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, Inc., is an equal opportunity employment agency.  It is committed to provide equal opportunities to all applicants and employees including recruitment, promotion, demotion, layoff, return from layoff, rates of pay, selection of training, social, and recreational programs. The Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, Inc., is committed to the goal of a workforce that is sensitive to and reflects the cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity of the individuals and community we serve. Discriminatory actions in the workplace will not be tolerated.  Employee’s engaging in discriminatory actions will be disciplined up to and including dismissal.